Friday, April 26, 2013

Take Your Same-Sex Business Elsewhere

The Revised Code of Washington, section 49.60.030,
covers freedom from discrimination and begins with this statement: (1) The right to be free from discrimination
because of race, creed, color, national origin, sex, honorably discharged
veteran or military status, sexual orientation, or the presence of any
sensory, mental, or physical disability or the use of a trained dog guide
or service animal by a person with a disability is recognized as and declared
to be a civil right. Washington state senator Sharon Brown, and
at least eleven other senators, including Spokane's Mike Padden, have offered
up a bill to create exemptions in the state's anti-discrimination law.It leads off with...

AN ACT Relating to the right to engage in
commerce free from discrimination;

It sounds good so far. But here is the
text they want to add.

(4) Nothing in this section may burden a
person or religious organization's freedom of religion including, but not
limited to, the right of an individual or entity to deny services if providing
those goods or services would be contrary to the individual's or entity
owner's sincerely held religious beliefs, philosophical beliefs, or matters
of conscience. This subsection does not apply to the denial of services
to individuals recognized as a protected class under federal law applicable
to the state as of the effective date of this section. The right to act
or refuse to act in a manner motivated by a sincerely held religious belief,
philosophical belief, or matter of conscience may not be burdened unless
the government proves that it has a compelling governmental interest in
infringing the specific act or refusal to act and has used the least restrictive
means to further that interest.